SIXERS NEWS

With Andre Iguodala MIA for the first time in 3 years, due to a strained achilles, Evan Turner stepped into the starting lineup for the first time in his career, at Madison Square Garden of all places and looked very much like he belonged. He had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists and played all the big minutes in the 4th quarter. Jrue Holiday continued to be just as impressive with another 19 points and 8 assists. Elton Brand continued his torrid play with 20 and 7 rebounds. Finally. Lou Williams continued to light it up off the bench with 19. As a team the Sixers were at least solid in all statistical categories and that was enough tonight. They did all the little things the Knicks never do and it worked to say the least. The lone statistical category that went in the Sixers' was 3 point shooting and that proved to be the difference. The Sixers were a decent 7 of 18 from beyond, while New York, which averages 10 treys a game, hit just 3 of 19 tonight and when you throw up that many treys and nothing falls it just kills you.

Early on the Sixers took advantage of some particularly porous Knick's defense, and shot 70 % in the first quarter while racing out an 8 point lead, heading into the 2nd squarter. As per their norm this season, the Sixers couldn't keep it going in the 2nd period and in fact when back to struggling to score again. Luckily the Knicks own poor shooting kept them from truly pulling ahead at the half and instead the Sixers clung to within 2 points of the Knick halftime lead. In the 3rd quarter the Sixers turned things back around again, rallying to back head briefly by 1 before a botched Lou Williams finisher found them done by 1 again heading into the 4th quarter. As they for most of this season the Sixers again owned the 4th quarter, outscoring New York 26-15, thanks in large part, not to the young guys but to the 34 year old veteran, Tony Battie, who played the final 16 minutes and provided a clutch 5 points and 6 rebounds. Together the solid ply of the youngsters and Battie's heroics were enough to hold off the Knicks 106-96 for the Sixers 2nd win of the season.